Electrical switching device



N.' H. LYSONS. ELECTRICAL SWITCHIN G DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14" I920- 1,432, 3,v Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

Patented @011. 24, 1922.

UNHTED STATES lddilflhii rarest orrics.

NOEL H. LYSONS, OF MONTREAL, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEVT YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICE.

Application filed September 14,- 1920. Serial No. 410,154.

To a whom it wmg concern:

Be it known that I, NOEL H. Lrsons, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 183 Wilson Avenue, in the city of Montreal, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l llectrical Switching Devices, of which the following is a full clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates in general to elec trical switching devices and more particularly to such devices used in combination with telephone hook switches.

The object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary or supplemental switch struc ture adapted to be mounted with a. switchhook and to be operable thereby. which shall be inexpensive. positive in action and durable. Other objects and advantages will appear from. the further description of the invention.

The invention in its preferred form consists of a mounting plate carrying contact springs which plate is adapted to fit on the casing or telephone box in such manner that the contacts may be operated by the movement of the telephone switchhook lever. This invention is especially useful in converting" the usual form of substation telephone wall set to a set for use on party lines where a battery-saving device is used. In such sets the battery-saving device is attached to the telephone box in such a man nor as to stop the upward motion of the switch lever at a point approximately mid- 'ay in its upward motion. The contact members are adjusted so that certain con tacts are made at this mid-position, while other contacts are made upon releasing the battery-saving device to allow the switchhook lever to rise to the upper limit of its travel. Usually, by means of the contacts made at the mid-position of the switchhook, the receiver is bridged across the line through a condenser so that the subscriber may listen without impairing the transmission of the line. and may ascertain whether the line be idle or busy. At the further rise of the switchhook lever, the transmitter circuit is closed to permit conversation by the subscriber. The device eontemplated by this invention provides the additional contact means for making such circuit changes as are necessary in such a systei'n. No additirmal adjustment or .alteration of the switch members is necessary.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the drawings which illustrate its preferred form.

.i wall member 1 of asub-station set is provided with an aperture 2 through which a switchhook lever 3 is adapted to pass. The wall member 1 is attached by means of screws i and 5 to a switch supporting frame (5. The switchhook lever 3 is pivotalljv mounted on this supporting frame 6 by means of a pivotscrew '7.

Mounted on the supporting frame 6 are the contact springs 8 for making the usual circuit changes in a sub-station set. Spring member 9 is also mounted on the supporting member 6 and co-operates with the lever 3 to produce the usual tendency of the switch hook lever to rise when released by the removal of the receiver from the hook. lever A battery-saving device 10 is loosely supported by the screws 5 and is provided with apertures 11 to permit motion in the said device in a direction transverse to the lever 3. Upon its initial rise, the switchhook lever 3 is prevented from rising to its fully operated position by a projection 12 provided on the member 10. lVhen the device 10. however. is pushed back by pressure on finger piece 13. the switchhook lever 3 is allowed to proceed to its upper limit of motion. since the projection 12 is now removed from its path. Upon the downward movement of the lever 3, the tongue 14-, which is an integral part of the device 10, obstructs the motion of the lever 3 so that the device 10 is forced back into its normal position. as shown in Fig. l.

The auxiliary switching device which is the subject of this invention consists of a U-shapcd plate member 15 mounted under the supporting frame (3. and held in position therewith by means of the screws t and This plate carries a pair of contact springs 16 and 17 which are adapted to operate to perform the desired additional circuit changes. The spring member 16 terminates in a lug 18 and the spring member 17 terminates in a lug 19. The lugs 18 and 19 are of any suitable form to receive wires connecting them to the substation circuit. Spring member 17 is made longer than the spring 16 and is provided at its tip with an insulating button 20 which cooperates with the heel 21 of the lever 3 so'as to receive the pressure therefrom; The springs 16 and 17 may be mounted to the mounting plate 15 in" any suitable manner. As here shown, they are mounted with layers of insulating material 22 between them at their bases and secured to the mounting plate 15 by means of screws 23.

The contacts between the contact springs 8 and the springs 16 and 17 -may be adjusted to a variety of combinations. As shown here, the springs 8 contact when the hook lever 3 is held in its mid-position by the projection 12 of the battery-aving device 10. Upon the operation of the device 10 to re the switchh'ook lever 3, the springs 16 and 17 will contact under the pressure of the heel .21 of the lever 3, thereby producing the desired circuit changes and completing the transmitter circuit of the subscribers set.

lVhile the arrangement described shows perhaps the most important application in which this invention may be used, the inventor does not wish to be considered as haw ing limited its use to this particular application. It is self-evident that this device may be adjusted so that the spring members of both the hook switch and the auxiliary switch, contact sin'iultaneously for other purposes than that above referred to and such application is contemplated in the invention.

What is claimed is 2- 1. In a telephone hook switch, a supportmg; wall member provided with an aperture, a hook lever adapted to swing in such. aperture, a switch mounting men'lb'er fastened to one side of the wall member and pivotally supporting the hook lever, a spring memher to actuate the hook lover, a plurality of contact members mounted on said switch mounting member, and controlled by said hook lever, a mounting plate secured between the wall member and the switch mounting member and a plurality of spring contact members carried by said mounting plate and adapted to be actuated by the hook lever,

2. In a telephone hook switch, a supporting wall member provide-d with an aperture, a hook lever adapted to swing in such aperture, a switch mounting member fastened to one side of the wall member and pivotally supporting the hook lever,- a heel projection on the hook lever at its'pivoted end, a spring member supported by the switch mounting member and pressing on the heel of the hook lever to actuate the said lever, a plurality of spring contact members adapted to be actuated by the spring member, a mounting plate and a plurality of spring contact members carried by the mounting plate and adapted to be actuated by the heel of the hook lever.

3. In a telephone hook switch, a supporting wall member provided with an aperture, a hook lever adapted to swing in such aperture, a switch mounting member "fastened to one side of the'wall men'zbcr and pivotally sllPPOltlllg' the hook lever, a spring member mounted on the switch mounting member to actuate the said hook lever, a heel projection on the said hook lever near its pivoted end against which heel the spring member exerts its force, a plurality of spring contact members mounted on the switch mounting member and controlled by the motion of the hook lever, a n'rounting plate supported between the wall member and the switch mounting member, said mounting plate be ing provided with an aperture corresponch ing to the aperture in the wall member, and a pair of spring contact members carried by the said mounting plate and adapted to be operated by the heel projection of the hook lever.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of August A. D.', 1920.

NOEL H; LYSONS. 

